Health Care

Medicaid work requirements

11 public statements from 2026 candidates · 2 related bills

§1The range of views

Why this matters: These rules affect who keeps health coverage, how much paperwork people must do to keep it, and how much the program costs.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

Whether adults covered by Medicaid must work, train, go to school or volunteer a set number of hours to keep their coverage, which a 2025 federal law requires states to begin by January 2027, with possible extensions to the end of 2028, for many adults covered through the Medicaid expansion.1

  1. Require work or community activity for adults who are able to work
  2. Keep the requirement but ease it, such as with wider exemptions or less frequent checks
  3. No work requirement to keep coverage

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Require work or community activity for adults who are able to work (2)

  • James "Jim" Kingston GA-1
    His campaign website says he supports work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid.2
  • Roger Marshall KS Senate
    His campaign website says he supports Medicaid for children, seniors, pregnant women and people with disabilities, with work expectations for adults who are able to work.3

Keep the requirement but ease it, such as with wider exemptions or less frequent checks (1)

  • Jeff Wadlin AR Senate
    His campaign website says Medicaid should enforce reasonable work requirements without paperwork traps, with employment verified automatically where possible.4

No work requirement to keep coverage (4)

  • Delia Ramirez IL-3
    Her campaign website says she opposes efforts to create work requirements for Medicaid and other social programs.5
  • Brad A. Meyer IN-9
    His campaign website lists work requirements for Medicaid recipients among provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that it says must not be allowed to succeed.6
  • Alani Bankhead MT Senate
    Her campaign website says she would delay and repeal the federal Medicaid work-reporting rules, which it says could cost tens of thousands of working Montanans their coverage.7
  • Seth Bodnar MT Senate
    His campaign website says he would reverse the Medicaid work-requirement rules, which it says could take coverage from about 30,000 Montanans.8

Statements that don't match one option (4)

  • Mike Sell FL-4
    His campaign's bill tracker lists him as opposing a Florida bill, SB 1758, that it says would impose Medicaid work requirements on more than 111,000 Floridians.9
  • La Shawn K. Ford IL-7
    His campaign website says he will oppose Medicaid cuts, funding caps and work requirements that push eligible people out of care, and will fight for continuous coverage and automatic renewals.10
  • André Carson IN-7
    His campaign website says burdensome restrictions such as work requirements have made it harder for some people to get care.11
  • Steven "Chap" St John NV-1
    His campaign website says he would take a close look at the Medicaid eligibility changes set for 2027, and would require clear notice, a chance to correct errors, and ways for eligible people to show they meet the work, education, caregiving or exemption rules before coverage is cut off.12

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.